Andrea Radrizzani: 'Top-six finish is the plan for Leeds United'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 05 November 2020

Andrea Radrizzani says Leeds United should take inspiration from Leicester City in an attempt to break the Premier League's established top six in the coming seasons.

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has said that he is hopeful the club can continue growing step by step and break into the top six within the next four years.

The Whites are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2004 and have made a positive start to the campaign, collecting 10 points from their first seven games.

United's immediate target is to remain in the division, but Radrizzani - who bought out Massimo Cellino in 2017 - has bigger long-term aims for the club and is taking inspiration from 2016 title winners Leicester City.

"You need to continue your growth step by step, gradually," he told Sports Pro Media.

"In my mind, it's very clear what I have to do, I just need a little bit of time and work very hard and structure, step by step, the club to catch up with the opportunities.

"We need two or three years of staying in the Premier League and then this club can really have the ambition to be close to the top six, or to climb even more.

"My model in football is Leicester City - I think they have a good model, they run the club very well. That's what I aspire to do but also with the acknowledgement that Leeds United, with all respect [to Leicester], is a much bigger brand internationally. It's a big club."

Leeds are 12th in the Premier League and return to action on Saturday with a trip to Crystal Palace, who they are level on points with.